There are currently no plans to impose water restrictions in north west England
United Utilities has warned that the heatwaves have driven ‘record demand’ for water(Image: Sean Hansford | Manchester Evening News)
People across north west England are being encouraged to ‘use water wisely’, as hot conditions across the UK continue to drive ‘record demand’, United Utilities says.
It comes as parts of England have entered drought conditions, including the whole of Wales, as the prolonged dry spell of weather continues across the country.
The UK has endured its fourth heatwave of the summer so far, with temperatures topping 35C this week, as health authorities warned England is on track this year for the highest number of deaths caused by such hot spells since current figures began.
Click here to get the biggest stories straight to your inbox in our Daily Newsletter
The hot and dry weather is creating ideal conditions for wildfires to thrive, including a blaze at Dovestone Reservoir, Saddleworth, which has now been burning for more than two weeks.
Millions of people across the UK are currently facing water restrictions, such as hosepipe bans, to try and conserve water during the dry summer.
United Utilities, which supplies water to Greater Manchester and north west England, has issued a statement on the situation.
“There are no plans for any restrictions in the North West,” a United Utilities spokesperson said. “And our reservoir levels are where we would expect them to be for this time of year, thanks to a wetter-than-average start to 2026.”
The spokesperson continues: “However, the recent hot weather has driven record demand. At the peak of the heatwave, we supplied more than 2 billion litres of water a day across the North West – around 200 million litres more than usual, the equivalent of adding a city the size of Liverpool to our daily demand.
“That demand comes not only from households, but also from businesses, farmers and the emergency services responding to moorland fires.”
In a message to people across the north west, United Utilities says: “While we’re in a strong position, we always encourage customers to use water wisely, as a few small changes can make a big difference in helping to ensure there’s enough water for everyone throughout the summer.”
The Met Office has warned that although there is some rain on the forecast, it is not likely to balance out the lack of wet weather we have experienced during summer so far.
Get MEN Premium now for just £1 HERE – or get involved in our WhatsApp group by clicking HERE
Mark Sidaway, Deputy Chief Forecaster at the Met Office, said: “The forecast is showing potential for more rain than much of the UK has experienced over the last few weeks.
“However, it looks as though amounts of rain for many will be fairly modest, and wont balance out the shortfall that we have recorded this summer. It’s still possible that some areas of the south will miss out and see little or no rainfall.”